Sealing-machine



`E. L. WALKER.

SEAUNG MACHINE.

AFPwcATroN man lum/16,1919.

Patented July 5, ma

Unirse starts PATENT OFFICE.

EMERY L. WALKER, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

SEALIN G-MACHIN E.

Application filed July 16, 1919.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EMERYv L. ALKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of l/Visconsiinhave invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Sealing- Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specication.

My invention relates to sealing machines and more particularly to the type of sealing machines used for sealing the folded flaps of shipping containers. Machines of this character are utilized both for what isy known as bottom sealing, such for instance as the machine shown and described in the Reissue Patent to Morton No. 14,267, dated March '6, 1917, or for top sealing as shown for instance in my co-pending application Serial No. 311,170, led July 16, 1919.

My present invention concerns itself with the addition of means to machines of this nature which serve the purpose of holding a container or box flaps in an intermediate position during the time the operator is applying the adhesive, this intermediate position being such that a further movement of the said iiaps brings them into their sealing or container closing position. y

For purposes of illustration I have shown herein means of this character as applied to a machine used for top sealing, as its application to other similar machines will be perfectly obvious.

My invention as shown, for instance, in connection with a machine of the top sealing type is set forth in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a front view of a single unit of a machine of this character, and

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof.

The machine in general may have suitable standards such as the standards 10 and cross bars 11 and 12 so as to provide a suitable and rigid framework. An upper platen 13 is vcarried by the framework and more particularly is mounted in the bracket structure 14 which is secured to the cross-rods 11 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1920. Serial No. 311,174.

tion of the spring 16. The is adapted to be moved sealing position whenever tainer 17 is in position and ready to have its flaps 18 and 19 forced into their final sealing position. Rear lugs 20 are illustrative of suitable stop means against which the top portion of the container 17 may be pressed as the plunger 13 is moving downwardly, thus to press the abutting edges of the flaps 18 and 19 tightly together, to effect a thorough closure of the container end. A lower platen 21 shown as swingingly mounted about the shaft 22 supports the container 17 and forms the opposing support to the platen 13 when it is moved into sealing position.y r1`he lower platen has a front ridge 23 so that this platen when swung outwardly into the dotted position shown in Fig. 2 may support thereon the folded container which is to have its top end sealed. The upper platen is provided with my improved means 2a which hold the box flap *19 in an intermediate position, as will be readily apparent from the dotted illustration in Fig. 2. ris the platen 21 is swung inwardly into the position indicated by full lines in Fig. 2, the finger 241 also assists in forcing the flap 19 toward its filial position.

1n the operation of the device it may be assumed that the platen 21 has been swung into the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, a filled shipping container 17 is then placed thereon and the box flaps 25 bent downwardly. 1When inserting the container upon the platen 21, the box flaps 25, as stated, have already been bent inwardly into theirl sealing position and the bon' flap 19 bent into its intermediate position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The Fingers 2-1 then support this box fiap 19 in this intermediate position. The box flap 19 being in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 holds down the two lowermost box flaps 25 so that these box flaps 25 are in position to receive the adhesive without the necessity of having the operator hold these flaps in their closed position, nor is it necessary for the operator manually to hold the flap 19. In other words, the operator takes the filled container. bends the flaps 25 inwardly, bends the flap 19 into the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. Q, and then places this container upon the platen 21 when said platen is in the position indicated by dotted lines. rIhe operator can then apply the adhesive to the vl'laps 2' without being inconvenienced by holding the various box flaps in their positions. It must or course be undei'stoodthat the box flaps tend to move into their openV position, and that merely bending them inwardly will not cause themsealing` operation has been completed. Dui- Y ing the time that the operator is moving' the handle 14 downwardly so as to bring the platenl into sealing position, he exerts pressure against the upper front edge oit' the container 17, thereby to force it against the stop 20 and cause the edges oic Vflaps 18 and 19 to come tightly together, thus to insure a perfect closure.

It willof course inodiiications may be made without departing from the broad nature or my invention. I-Iaving `however thus described one torni which my invention may take, what I claim Vas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: p

1. In a sealing machine of the character described the combination with a pair of platens adapted for box end sealing pir:- poses, the box structure being held in a preparatory position prior to sealing, and means carried by said machine adapted when said box structure is in a preparatory `position to hold a box flap in an intermediate posi-V tion.

2. In a sealing machine of the character described the combination with a pair of platens adapted for box end sealing purposes, the box structure being held in Va preparatory position prior to sealing, and

means carried by saidy machine adapted lwhen said box structure is in a preparatory position to hold a box Hap inY an intermediate position, and direct said flap toward its sealing position when said box structure is .moved fromrits preparatory position to a position in which said platens when operated eilect sealing of the box end.`

3. In a Vsealing machine ot the character VVdescribed the combination with a pair of relatively movable platens adapted 1for box end sealing purposes, the box structure being held in a preparatory position prior to be understood that manyl sealing, and means carried by said machine adapted when said box structure is in a preend sealing purposes, the box structure being held ina preparatory position prior to sealing, and means carried by said' machine adapted when said box structure is in a preparatory position to hold a box flap in an intermediate position, and direct said tlap toward its sealing position when said box structure is moved from yits Vpreparatory position to a position in which said platens when operated edect sealing oi the box end.

5. In a sealing machineV of the character described the combination with a pair of platens adapted for box end sealing purposes, the box structure being held in a preparatory position prior to sealing, anda nger carried by said machine adapted when said box structure is in a preparatory position to hold a box flap in an intermediate position.

6. In a sealing machine of the Vcharacter described the combination with a pair of platens adapted for box endA sealing purposes, the box structure being held in a preparatory position prior to sealing, and a finger carriedby said machine adapted when said box structure is in a preparatoryposition to hold a box flap in an intermediate position, and direct said flap toward its sealing position when said box structure is moved from its preparatory position to position in which said platens when oper ated eiiiect sealing oi' the box end. Y

7. In a sealing machine of the character described the combination with a pair of relatively movable .platens adapted for box end sealing purposes, the box structure being u,held in a preparatory position prior' to sealing, and a ringer carried by said inachine adapted when said box structure is in a preparatory position to hold a box flap in an intermediate position.

8. In a sealing machine of the character described the combination with a pair of relatively movable platcns adapted `for box end' sealing purposes, the box structure being held in a preparatory position priorto sealing, and a linger carried by said machine adapted when said box structure is in a preparatory position to hold a box iiap in an intermediate position, and direct said flap toward its sealing position'when said box structure is movedjtrom its preparatory position to a positionin which. said platens when operated eilect sealing of the box end.

9. A sealing machine of the character described comprising an upper platenadapted to be swung out of alinement with the upper platen so that a .container may be positioned thereon and a linger carried by and pron of said platen for hodng one of' the box jecting forwardly from, said upper platen flaps in an intermediate position While ad for holding one of the box flaps in an interhesive is being applied beneath the flap. 10

mediate position. In Witness whereof I hereunto subscribe l0. A top sealing machine of the characn my naine this 2nd day of July, A. D. 1919.

tei' described comprising an upper pressing platen and means proj eating from one edge EMERY L. WALKER. 

